Railway-signal.



c7. @QM

No. 841,023. v 'PATENTED JAN. 8, 19072;

w. EVLEMP.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED 001213, 19067 5140a toz Wit" one:

fimacm;

WILLIAM E. LEMP, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

RAILWAY "SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed October 13, 1906. Serial No. 338.807.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. LEMP, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailwaySignals; and I do nereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to railway-signals, and more especially to devices of that type adapted to be secured to the rails-in advance or in the rear of a car or train of cars at rest or to a car itself to prevent premature movement thereof.

As is generally understood, it is customary to frequently inspect the running-gear of a car or cars and the machinery of the engine during a run, the train being stopped for such purpose. It is likewise customary to make similar inspections at the end of one run previous to starting upon another. As this work necessitates the inspector crawling under the cars, his imminent danger, in the event of premature starting of the cars, will be apparent.

It is the object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a signal. which may be readily adapted to the track-rails toward one end or the other of a car or cars or to a car itself to indicate the presence of the inspector at work.

A further object resides in the provision of an easily-operated and exceeding-simple device of the class described.

. A still further object consists in the pro' vision of means by which the signal may be effectively locked to the track-rails or other support and its accidental displacement pre- I vented.

The invention will be readily understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, and its preferred embodiment is illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by corresponding reference-numerals in both views.

Of the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved signal. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device is shown as comprising a clamp whose members 5 and 6 are pivoted together by a bolt 7, the shank of the member 5 being extended some distance beyond that of the opposite member, as shown, for the attachment thereto of the signal-flag 8.

The clamp members are bowed or bent inwardly toward each other intermediate their ends, as indicated by the reference-numeral 9, the pivot-bolt 7 passing through the central point of such bowed portion, as shown. Owing to such construction, the shanks of the clamp members will be divergent from each other when the device is in place, thus throwing the signal-flag 8 out at an angle to the vertical plane of the track-rail or to the side of the car, according as the device is at tached to one or the other, so that the same may be easily observed by the engineer or brakeman from the cab, it being understood that the member 5, which carries the signal,

is always made the outer member, irrespective of the position of'the device with reference to the car or cars, so that its extended shank may project some distance beyond the outer side of the rail or other support for the purpose specified.

The jaws 10, formed at the lower ends of the clamp members, are of the type known as eagles claws, each comprising an approximately straight portion 11, having a sharply-inturned pointed or claw end 12.

To hold the jaws in position with the claws in contact with the opposite faces of the support, there is provided a flattened ring 13, which is adapted to be slipped over the jaws when the latter are in closed position. When the jaws are opened and moved into place on opposite sides of the support in positioning the device, the ring will be slid down until its opposite ends bind against the outer side edges of the clamp members, when the latter will be firmly held in place by such action, and any lateral spreading or separation, with consequent displacement of the device, will be positively prevented.

In practice the clamp members and the ring will be formed of steel, the latter, how ever, possessing sufficient resiliency to exercise a binding action upon the jaws independently of and additional to that caused by its mere contact therewith.

While a signal-flag has been shown as applied to the shank of only one of the clamp members, it will be obvious that both shanks may be made of equal length and may be provided with a flag or other warning device, one for use in the day-time and the other at night, the one in use being always made the IOC outer member of the devices to throw the flag into plainer view, as above described.

Owing to the particular construction of the clamping-jaws, a ring is particularly well adapted for use as a locking means, as the edges of the jaws afford a much better grip ping-surface for the ring edges and allow the ring to be moved into and out of operative position than if curved jaws were used.

It is not intended that the invention be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as modifications and changes may obviously be made within its scope.

What is claimed is- 1. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a pair of pivoted members having clamping-jaws adapted to coact with a support, each jaw including a straight body portion having its free end inbent, of an adjustablel'ocking means coacting with said jaws for securing the same in position after attachment to such support, said means slidably embracing said jaws and having its lower edges adapted to be moved into binding contact with the body portion thereof;

' and a slgnal secured to the upper end of one of said members.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a pair of pivoted members having clamping-jaws adapted to coact with a support, each jaw including a straight body portion having its free end inbent, of a flattened metal ring coacting with said jaws for i securing the same in position after attachl ment to such support, said ring slidably embracing said jaws, and having its lower edges I adapted to be moved into binding contact I with the body portion thereof; and a signal secured to the upper end of one of said members.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a pair of pivoted members bowed intermediate their ends and having clamping-jaws adapted to coact with a suption having its free end inbent, of a flattened metal ring coacting with said jaws for securing' the same in position after attachment to such support, said ring slidably embracing said jaws, and having its lower edges adapted to be moved into binding contact with the body portion thereof; and a signal secured to the upper end of one of said members, said bowed portions being directly toward each other with the pivot-bolt passing there through, to throw said signal outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the support. In testimony whereof I afl ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. LEMP.

" Witnesses:

WM. GAToN,

J. A. LANGAN.

port, each jaw including a straight body por 

